Article having garment holding member



May 12, 1970 T. H. P. JAGGERS, JR 3,511,245

ARTICLE HAVING GARMENT HOLDING MEMBER Filed March 25, 1966 Z Sheets-Sheet 1 w W I. 5

x/ F 3 m F m m 1 w F m /a aw w M ///2, 5 A q y 12, 1970 T. H. P. JAGGERS, JR 3,511,245

ARTICLE HAVING GARMENT HOLDING MEMBER Filed March 25, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet :3

United States Patent US. Cl. 128535 21 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An article adapted to encircle a portion of the body and having at least one stretchable garment-holding member connected to an end thereof which member consists of inner and outer bands defining a pocket therebetween, the open end of which faces toward the end of the article to which the garment-holding member is connected. The inner surfaces of the inner and outer bands both abut and grip the garment received in the pocket which they define and a portion of such garment abuts the outer surface of the inner band; the free edge of the inner band; and the body thereby securely and detachably holding the garment in place on the body.

This invention is an article which has at least one garment-holding member connected to at least one of its ends for detachably holding a garment in a desired position on the body of the wearer.

Prior art garments, such as girdles, which have conventional buckles or clips connected thereto, cause unsightly bulging of the wearers outer garments. Such buckles or clips also depress the wearers flesh at localized areas and become uncomfortable after relatively short periods of use. When a girdle having garter buckles or clips is worn under a tight dress or slacks, a greater amount of bulging is visibly evident thus compounding the problem.

The prior art is replete with garter constructions for alleviating the uncomfortable and unsightly characteristics of these devices, but there still remains in todays foundation garments a degree of unsightly bulging and discomfort when garter buckles or clips are used.

The present invention eliminates conventional garter buckles or clips and instetd provides a hose-supporting stretchable cuff connected to the lower periphery of the foundation garment.

A foundation garment in accordance with my invention eliminates unsightly bulging of the wearers outer garments and reduces uncomfortable localized pressures upon the wearers skin heretofore caused by garter buckles or clips.

According to one embodiment of my invention, a foundation garment of the girdle type is provided with a hose-supporting stretchable cuff at the lower edge thereof. This cuff comprises inner and outer stretchable bands or strips concentrically positioned with respect to each other with the bands connected together to form an annular pocket having an open and a closed end with the open end facing upward toward the wearers waist. The upper edge of the pockets outer band is connected to the lower edge of the foundation garment while the upper edge of the inner band is free. The pocket portion of my invention is positioned so that the inner band is on the inside of the foundation garment.

In use, my stretchable cuff is adapted to compress and frictionally grip the upper peripheral area of the wearers hose when inserted into the pocket of the cuff, and to also compress another area of the hose against the wearers 3,511,245 Patented May 12, 1970 "ice body, thus detachably holding the hose in a desired position upon the wearers leg.

On living models, who generally experience unsightly bulging of their outer garments and discomfort when Wearing foundation garments having garter buckles or clips, I have observed that bulging of the wearers outer garments and discomfort caused by garter pressure against the wearers skin at localized areas are substantially eliminated by my foundation garment construction. Furthermore, I have observed that after relatively long periods of use, creep and wrinkle of the wearers hose is virtually undetectable.

Perhaps most significant of all is that the control and finishing functions provided by prior art cuffs, and the anchoring function of garter buckles or clips are advantageously provided by my foundation garment, yet, the additional function of supporting the wearers hose without unsightly bulging and wearer discomfort is uniquely achieved.

Various other advantages are found to flow from my invention, including the observed fact that since the outer surface of my foundation garment is relatively smooth and void of protruding buckles, clips or straps, outer garments will not catch onto the fuondation garment and hang up in an unsightly manner.

Proceeding now to a more detailed description of my invention, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings which are to be understood as being illustrative and not limitative of my invention.

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a panty girdle made in accordance with my invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of one of the garmentholding cuffs taken along the line of 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the panty girdle of FIG. 1 showing the right garment-holding cuff folded upwardly upon the outer surface of the right leg portion of the panty girdle, and showing the left garmentholding cuff folded upwardly upon the outer surface of the left leg portion of the panty girdle with the inner band also folded upwardly upon the outer surface of the panty girdle.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional View of the right garmentholding cuff taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the left garmentholding cuff taken along the line 55 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodimentof my garment-holding cuff.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are respectively front and rear elevation views of an open botom girdle made in accordance with my invention.

FIG. 9 is a front elevation view of the open bottom girdle of FIGS. 7 and 8 showing my garment-holding cuff also connected to the upper edge of the regular girdle and gripping the lower edge of a longline brassiere.

FIG. 10 is a rear elevation view of another embodiment of my invention as applied to a panty girdle.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of another embodiment of my invention as applied to a panty girdle.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a front elevation of a panty girdle according to one embodiment of my invention. In this embodiment, a major portion of the girdle is constructed of any type girdle material 10, such as dipped latex, elastic cloth, or a laminate of latex and elastic cloth. The girdle fabric 10 preferably makes up that portion of the girdle which conforms to the hip and buttock areas of the wearers torso. Connected, for example, by conventional stitching techniques, is a front panel portion 12, which substantially conforms to the abdomen of the wearers torso. Accordingly, approximately 60 degrees of the girdle comprises the front panel 12, which provides additional support for the abdomen.

The side edges of the front panel 12 are joined for example by stitching 14 and 16 to the girdle fabric 10. The parity girdle of FIG. 1 also includes a crotch portion 18, which is connected to the girdle fabric by stitching 20; elastic waistband 24, which is connected to the upper edge of the girdle fabric 10 and the front panel 12 by stitching 26; and left and right elastic leg bands 28 and 30 respectively connected to the left and right lower edges of the girdle fabric 10 and crotch portion 18 by stitching 32 and 34, respectively.

It is to be noted at this point that conventional garter buckles or clips are not used on the garments, but in their stead the hose-supporting stretchable cuffs 28 and 30 are used for supporting the wearers hose 36, or any other type leg garments, in position on the wearers legs 38.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a crosssectional view of the left hose-supporting stretchable cuff 28 taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

Girdle fabric 10, cuff 28, hose 36 and the wearers legs 38 in FIG. 2 are graphically exaggerated both as to thickness and relative positioning so as to more vividly depict the compressional and frictional characteristics of my invention.

The stretchable cuff 28 is preferably constructed from a continuous band made at least in part of elastic threads to provide the desired stretch characteristics. This band is folded so that a substantial portion of one face abuts the remaining portion of the same face, thus forming an outer band portion 40 and an inner band portion 42. Each of the inner and outer bands include first and second edges. The first edges are connected together at fold 40. The second edge of the outer band is shown as 48, and the second edge of the inner hand as 56. Slightly inward of the folded portion 44 of the cuff 28 is a binder weave or stitching 46. The second or upper edge 48 of the outer band 40 is connected to the lower edge 50 of the girdle fabric 10 by the stitching 32, thus defining an annular or peripheral pocket 52 having an open end at the second edge 56 of the inner band and a closed end at the fold, with the open end 56 facing upwardly toward the wearers waist.

When the panty girdle is on the wearers torso and adjusted to support the wearers hose 36, the outer and inner bands 40 and 42 compress and frictionally grip at least one layer of the hose 36, although two layers are preferred. The stretchable cuff 28 in combination with the wearers leg 38 also compress and frictionally grip one layer of the hose 36. Accordingly, the cuff 28 is capable of compressing and frictionally gripping an area of the wearers hose 36 that is at least equal to twice the surface area of one face of the inner band 42, and as shown in FIG. 2, is capable of compressing and frictionally gripping an area of hose 36 that is at least three times the area of one face of the inner band 42.

The method of detachably connecting the wearers hose 36 to the elastic cuff 28 is graphically shown in FIGS. 3-5. There are five separate steps involved.

The first step is to fold the elastic cuff 28 upwardly about the stitching 32, as shown on the right leg of the girdle of FIG. 3 and in cross-section in FIG. 4. In this position of the cuff 28, the outer band 40 abuts the girdle fabric 10 and the inner band 42 is now on the outside so that the mouth or open end of the annular pocket 52 now faces downwardly toward the wearers feet. The dotted line 54 in FIG. 3 shows the position of the folded edge 44- of the cuff before it was folded upwardly. Note at this point that the free edge 56 of the inner band 42 is now on the outside positioned slightly above the bottom edge 50 of the girdle fabric 10.

The second step is to fold the inner strip 42 upwardly about the stitching 46, as shown on the left leg of the girdle in FIG. 3 and in cross-section in FIG. 5. In this position of cuff 28, both the outer and inner bands 40 and 42 abut the girdle fabric 10. The annular pocket 52 of cuff 28 is now completely opened or in a substantially flat position. The dotted line 58 in FIG. 3 shows the position of the free edge 56 of the inner band 42 before it was folded upwardly. Note here that the free edge 56 of the inner band 42 is still on the outside of the panty girdle but is now positioned a substantial distance above the bottom edge 50 of the girdle fabric 10.

The third step is to position the wearers hose 36 (shown in phatnom in FIG. 5) upon the exposed inner surfaces of the elastic bands 40 and 42. It is preferable to place the wearers hose 36 so that it completely covers the opened cuff 28. This results in two layers of the wearers hose being compressed and frictionally gripped by the elastic bands 40 and 42 when the elastic cuff 28 is in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The fourth step is to fold the inner band 42 downwardly about the stitching 46, as shown in FIG. 4. In this position of the cuff 28, the outer strip 40 abuts the girdle fabric 10, and the inner strip 42 is on the outside so that the open end of the annular pocket 52 once again faces downwardly toward the wearers feet. Note that now the inner surfaces of the elastic bands 40 and 42 compress and frictionally grip two layers of the wearers hose 36 (shown in phantom in FIG. 4), to wit, the upper peripheral area of the wearers hose 36 is in an overlapped position within the annular pocket 52 of the cuff 28.

The fifth and final step is to fold the cuff 28 downwardly about the stitching 32, as shown in FIG. 2. In this position of the cuff 28, the outer band 40 is on the outside and the inner band 42 is on the inside so that the open end of the annular pocket 52 once again faces upwardly toward the wearers waist. Note here that the outer surface of the inner band 42 compresses the wearers hose 36 against the wearers leg 38, thus frictionally gripping an additional portion of the hose 36 and holding it in position upon the wearers leg 38. The stretchable cuff 28 is now in the position it would normally be when 1n use.

In this embodiment of my invention, the inner band 42 is preferably constructed and dimensioned so that its free edge 56 abuts the lower edge 50 of the girdle fabric 19. By this arrangement, an additional compressing of the hose 36 is achieved in a manner simulating a scissor-type clamping action. As the tightness of the cuff 28 upon the wearers leg 38 is increased, the compressional forces exerted upon the hose 36 by cuff 28 are also increased, thus increasing the overall frictional and gripping characteristics of the cuff 28.

A most unexpected and bonus feature of my invention is that the hose-supporting stretchable cuff 28 does not need excessive tightness to achieve the intended functions heretofore described. That is to say, the stretch characteristics of cuff 28 are substantially equal to the stretch characteristics of conventional single layer elastic cuffs. This is in contrast to conventional practice where excessively tight garter bands are used for supporting stockings at areas slightly below or above the wearers knee; thus excessively depressing the wearers skin and becoming un comfortable after relatively short periods of use.

It is preferable to interweave rubber threads with elastic threads in either one or both of the inner surfaces of the outer and inner bands 40 and 42 so as to increase the frictionally characteristics of my hose-supporting cuffs.

It is contemplated that the cuffs 28 and the girdle fabric 10 may be connected in an end-to-end manner so as to provide a smooth, co-planar surface along the outer face of the girdle. In this respect, the elastic cuffs 28 may be connected to girdle fabric 10 to provide a smooth coplanar outer surface by using the novel lipped construction disclosed in my co-pending patent application, Ser. No. 429,519, filed Feb. 1, 1965, now U.S. Pat. 3,362,410.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of my hose-supporting stretchable cuff. By this construction, an independent outer band 40 is concentrically positioned with respect to an independent inner band 42 with their respective first, or lower edges 43 and 45 connected, for example, by stitching 46, thus forming a hose-receiving pocket 52. The stretchable cuff of FIG. 6 is otherwise in all respects similar to the cuffs 28 and 30 of FIGS. 1-5, and functions in substantially the same manner.

FIGS. 7 and 8 respectively illustrate front and rear elevation views of my invention as applied to a regular girdle. In this embodiment the girdle fabric 66, front panel 68, stitching 70 and 72, waistband 74 and stitching 76 are respectively the same as girdle fabric 10, front panel 12, stitching 14 and 16, waistband 24 and stitching 26 above described regarding FIGS. 1 and 2.

The lower edges of the girdle fabric 66 and front panel 68 of the girdle of FIGS. 7 and 8 are finished or edged by a conventional single-layer elastic cuff 78. Connected at the lower horizontal edges of the girdle, for example, by conventional stitching techniques, are two front elastic straps 80 and 82 and two rear elastic straps 84 and 86 which extend downwardly toward the wearer's feet to a point slightly above the wearers knee. The ends of the elastic straps 80 and 84 are connected, for example, by conventional stitching techniques, snaps, buttons or the like, to a hose-supporting stretchable cuff 88, while the ends of the elastic straps 82 and 86 are connected to a hose-supporting stretchable cuff 90. Stretchable cuffs 88 and 90 are constructed the same as the above described cuffs 28 and 38 of FIGS. 1 and 2. Accordingly, the wearers hose 92 are compressed and frictionally gripped by the cuffs 88 and 90. The procedure for connecting the wearers hose 92 to the cuffs 88 and 90 is the same as above described respecting FIGS. 3-5.

In FIG. 9, another embodiment of my invention is shown wherein the regular girdle of FIGS. 7 and 8 is constructed with my novel garment-holding stretchable cuff also connected to the upper edge of the girdle.

The stretchable cufi 94, which is similar in all respects to the stretchable cuffs 28 and 30 of FIGS. 1 and 2, is connected, for example, by stitching 96 and 98, to the upper edges of the girdle fabric 66 and front panel 68. In this embodiment, the open end of the annular pocket of stretchable cuff 94 faces downwardly toward the wearers feet when in use. The garment-holding cuff at the waist of the girdle is highly advantageous for holding in position the bottom edge of a garment worn on the upper trunk region of the body, for example, the lower edge 100 of the longline brassiere 102 shown in FIG. 9.

Accordingly, my garment-holding stretchable cuff may be advantageously used at both the top and bottom periphery of a girdle for respectively holding upper trunk and leg garments in position on the wearers body.

It is also contemplated that my garment-holding cuff may be connected to the upper and lower periphery of other garments, such as skirts, slacks, shorts; both mens and womens. Additionally, my garment-holding cuffs may be connected to both peripheries of a substantially cylindrical piece of stretchable material which may then be worn at the wrists or ankles of the wearer for simultaneously holding sleeves and gloves in position at the wrists of the wearer, or for simultaneously holding pants and socks in position at the wearers ankles.

FIG. is a rear elevation view of another embodiment of my invention as applied to a panty girdle. In this embodiment of my invention, the panty girdle is similar in all respects to the panty girdle of FIGS. 1 and 2 but includes all-way" stretch portions 104 and 106 at the lower rear sections of the panty girdle. The stretch portions 104 and 106 are preferably a net or mesh type elastic material, although any all-way stretch material may be used.

The lower horizontal edges of the panty girdle 10 are upwardly curved as shown in FIG. 10. The upper edge of the stretch portions 104 and 106 are respectively connected to the curved edges of the panty girdle 10 by stitching 110 and 112, while the lower edges of the stretch portion 104 and 106 are connected to the stretchable cuffs 28 and 30 by stitching 114 and 116. By this construction, the rear portions of the girdle fabric 10 are respectively connected to the stretchable cuffs 28 and 30 by the stretch portions 104 and 106, thus permitting the rear of the panty girdle to expand during sitting and stretching movements of the wearer, yet preventing the cuffs from sliding up the wears leg.

FIG. 11 illustrates another embodiment of my invention as applied to a panty girdle in which an expandable all-way stretch portion 118 is connected at the lower left side section of the panty girdle. A similar expandable all-way stretch portion (not shown) is connected at the lower right side of the girdle.

The stretchable rear and side portions respectively shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 are highly advantageous in foundation garments having high rear and side control characteristics, particularly in girdles of the dipped latex or latex and elastic cloth laminate types.

My invention is by no means limited to the particular embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, but is equally applicable to all types of foundation garments, whether made of rubber or cloth, or whether made of a combination of rubber and cloth.

It is also contemplated that the inner bands of the stretchable cuffs may be wider than above described, for example, it may be twice as wide or any other multiple of its own width. By this construction, the larger inner band would be first unfolded to receive the garment to be held in position on the wearers body, and then folded as many times as the multiple of its own width, thus providing an increase in the surface area of the stretchable cuff that frictionally grips the garment to held in position. This increased garment-gripping surface area is approximately equal to the surface area of the increased portion of the inner band.

It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the specific details of the several embodiments described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but various changes and adoptions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as herein described and defined.

I claim:

1. An article adapted to encircle a portion of a wearers body, said article having at least one stretchable garmentholding member connected to at least one end thereof, said garment-holding member comprising inner and outer bands concentrically positioned with respect to each other, each of said bands having first and second edges, said first edges connected together along a fold with the inner surfaces of said bands facing each other to define an annular garment-holding pocket therebetween, said pocket having having a closed end along the fold of said inner and outer bands, the second edge of said outer band connected to said one end of the article before the insertion of a garment within said pocket, and the second edge of said inner band freely extending toward the said one end to provide a pocket open end facing toward the said one end such that when a garment is held in said pocket of said garment-holding member a portion of the garment abuts the outer surface of said inner band and a portion of the garment abuts both of said inner surfaces of said inner and outer bands.

2. In the article of claim 1, said inner band being disposed adjacent the wearers body and said outer band being spaced from the wearers body by the interposition of said inner band.

3. In the article of claim 2 wherein the second edge of said inner band is positioned to have a portion of the garment in abutting relationship therewith.

4. The article of claim 2 in which the portion of the garment abutting said outer surface of said inner band is compressed and frictionally gripped between said outer surface of said band and the wearers body.

5. Article of claim 1 in which the inner and outer stretchable bands are formed by folding a single sheet of stretchable material so that a substantial portion of one face abuts the remaining portion of the same face, and by attaching together the folded stretchable material along a line slightly spaced from the folded portion.

6. Article of claim 1 in which the inner and outer bands are separate layers of stretchable material connected to each other along said first edge only to form said closed end of the pocket.

7. Article of claim 1 in which a garment-holding member is connected to each end of the article for holding two garments in a desired position on the body.

8. Article of claim 1 which the lower end of the article is connected to the second edge of said outer band by means of spaced vertically extending straps.

9. Article of claim 1 which said article is adapted to encircle the limbs of the wearer, and two garment receiving members are respectively connected to the ends of said article.

10. Article of claim 1 in which the inner surfaces of said iner and outer bands include means for increasing the frictional characteristics thereof.

11. Article of claim 1 in which said article includes leg encircling portions and garment holding members connected to the end of each leg encircling portion.

12. Article of claim 11 in which the rear portion of the lower ends of said leg enecircling members is connected to a corresponding portion of the second edge of said outer band by means of a narrow strip of all-way stretch material.

13. Article of claim 11 in which the outer side portions of the lower ends of said leg encircling members are connected to a corresponding portion of the second edge of said outer band by means of a narrow strip of all-way stretch material.

14. Article of claim 11 in which a lower rear portion and the outer side portions of the lower ends of said leg encircling members are connected to corresponding portions of the second edge of said outer band by means of a narrow strip of all-way stretch material.

15. A panty girdle including leg encircling portions adapted to encircle each of the wears legs, said girdle having a stretchable hose-holding member permanently connected to the lower edge of each of the leg encircling portions thereof, said hose-holding member comprising inner and outer bands concentrically positioned with respect to each other, each of said bands having first and second edges, said first edges connected together along a fold with the inner surfaces of said bands facing each other to define an annular hose-holding pocket therebetween, said pocket having a closed end along the fold of said inner and outer bands, the second edge of said outer band permanently connected to the lower edge of the girdle leg encircling portion and the second edge of said inner band freely extending toward the lower edge of the girdle leg encircling portion to provide a pocket open facing toward such lower edge, such that when the wearers hose is held in said pocket of said hose holding member a portion of the hose abuts the outer surface of said inner band and a portion of the hose abuts both of said inner surfaces of said inner and outer bands.

16. A girdle as set forth in claim 15 wherein the inner surfaces of said pocket includes means for compressing and frictionally gripping the wearers hose when inserted therein for detachably holding said hose in a desired position on the wearers leg.

17. In the girdle of claim 15, said inner band being disposed adjacent the wearers leg and said outer band being spaced from the wearers leg by the interposition of said inner band.

18. In the girdle of claim 15 wherein the second edge of said inner band is positioned to have a portion of the wearers hose in an abutting relationship therewith.

19. In a girdle of claim 15 in which the portion of the hose abutting the outer surface of said inner band is compressed and frictionally gripped between said outer surface of said band and the wearers leg.

20. The girdle of claim 15 in which said inner and outer bands are separate layers of stretchable material connected to each other along said first edge only to form said closed end of the pocket.

21. The girdle of claim 15 in which the inner surfaces of said inner and outer bands include means for increasing the frictional characteristics thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 642,732 2/ 1900 Thom 139-422 1,674,627 6/ 1928 Allen 2-240 3,334,634 8/1967 Jones 128-535 2,245,095 6/ 1941 Nordseth l39-384 2,246,672 6/1941 Gibbons l39384 3,253,599 5/1966 Bjorn-Larsen 128-528 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

